All-silicon raman amplifiers and lasers based on micro ring resonators

ABSTRACT

Devices for generating a laser beam are disclosed. The devices include a silicon micro ring having at least one silicon optical waveguide disposed at a distance from the micro ring. The radius and the cross-sectional dimension of the microring, the cross-sectional dimension of the waveguide, and the distance between the micro ring and the waveguide are determined such that one or more pairs of whispering gallery mode resonant frequencies of the micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon. Methods of manufacturing a lasing device including a silicon micro ring coupled with a silicon waveguide are also disclosed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/653,556, filed on Feb. 16, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to optical amplification and lasing devices, and methods for manufacturing the devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to low-threshold microcavity Raman lasers, and methods for manufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stimulated Raman scattering (“SRS”) has a rich and evolving history since the development of the laser. In 1962, SRS effect at infrared frequencies was discovered. This discovery was soon described as a two-photon process with a full quantum mechanical calculation. To account for anti-Stokes generation and higher-order Raman effects, however, coupled-wave formalism was adopted to describe the stimulated Raman effect. Self-focusing was later included to account for the much larger gain observed in SRS. These understandings facilitated the study and design of Raman amplifiers and lasers. For example, low-threshold microcavity Raman lasers have been demonstrated in silica micro spheres and micro disks using excited whispering gallery modes (“WGMs”). Such devices can play an important role in the developing technology of photonic integrated circuits.

Because silicon is being considered as a promising platform for photonic integrated circuits, silicon based photonic devices have been increasingly researched. Microscopic passive silicon photonic devices such as bends, splitters, and filters have been developed. Active functionalities in highly integrated silicon devices have been studied, such as optical bistability due to the nonlinear thermal-optical effect and fast all-optical switching with two-photon absorption.

Silicon based Raman amplifiers and lasers also have been studied. The bulk Raman gain coefficient g_(R) in silicon is 10₄ times higher than in silica. Light generation and amplification in planar silicon waveguides with Raman effects have been studied recently. Raman lasing using a silicon waveguide as the gain medium has been demonstrated, where the ring laser cavity is formed by an 8-m-long optical fiber. A Raman laser using an S-shaped 4.8-cm-long silicon waveguide cavity with multi-layer coatings has also been reported, which could be integrated onto CMOS-compatible silicon chips.

Despite these advances, microscopic low-threshold Raman amplification and lasing devices on a monolithic silicon chip has yet to be developed. Such devices would support the development towards efficient, all-optical photonic integrated circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide all-optical on-chip signal amplification and lasing. In particular, embodiments of the present invention include Raman amplification and lasing devices using on-chip micro ring resonators coupled with waveguides in monolithic silicon. Embodiments of the present invention also provide methods for manufacturing such devices. According to embodiments of the present invention, lasers are designed with geometries so that WGM resonant frequencies of the micro ring resonator match the pump-Stokes frequency spacing of SRS in monolithic silicon. Therefore, one or more pairs of pump and Stokes light can form WGMs in the micro ring resonator.

Devices for generating a laser beam are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices include a silicon micro ring having a radius and a cross-sectional dimension, and at least one silicon optical waveguide having a cross-sectional dimension and disposed at a distance from the micro ring. The distance, the radius, and the cross-sectional dimensions are determined so that at least one pair of whispering gallery mode resonant frequencies of the micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon.

Methods of manufacturing a lasing device including a silicon micro ring coupled with a silicon waveguide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include determining a radius and a cross-sectional dimension of the micro ring, a cross-sectional dimension of the waveguide, and a distance between the micro ring and the waveguide, so that at least one pair of whispering gallery mode resonant frequencies of the micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon. The methods also include manufacturing the lasing device by creating the micro ring with the determined radius and cross-sectional dimension, creating the waveguide with the determined cross-sectional dimension, and disposing the micro ring from the waveguide at the determined distance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The Detailed Description of the Invention, including the description of various embodiments of the invention, will be best understood when read in reference to the accompanying figures wherein:

FIG. 1 a is a top view of a Raman amplification and lasing device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 1 b is a cross-sectional view of the Raman amplification and lasing device in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 is a transmission spectrum of a Raman amplification and lasing device according to one example of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the WGMs formed by a beam of light in the same example device as used for FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the WGMs formed by another beam of light in the same example device as used for FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating methods for manufacturing a Raman amplification and lasing device according to various embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of a fabricated Raman amplification and lasing device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Devices of various embodiments of the present invention use micro ring resonators as a cavity for producing Raman laser. The strong light confinement of a micro ring resonator enhances the stimulated Raman scattering with low-threshold pump power.

FIG. 1 a is a top view and FIG. 1 b is a cross-sectional view of a Raman amplification and lasing device of various embodiments of the present invention, generally at 100. Device 100 includes an optical micro ring resonator 102 and an optical waveguide 104, both made of silicon. The cross-sectional view illustrates a cross section of device 100 taken by a plane perpendicular to the sheet and passing through the center of micro ring resonator 102.

In some embodiments, waveguide 104 can be a quasi-transverse electric (“quasi-TE”) single-mode waveguide. As shown, micro ring resonator 102 has radius R. Micro ring resonator 102 and waveguide 104 can have the same width w and height t_(si). There is a gap s between resonator 102 and waveguide 104. Resonator 102 and waveguide 104 can be formed on top of a layer of silicon oxide (SiO₂) 106. In some embodiments, device 100 can include more than one waveguide disposed at a close distance to resonator 102. Although waveguide 104 is shown to be straight in FIG. 1, it can assume other shapes as known in the art.

In operation, pump light can enter the lower end 109 of waveguide 104 in the direction of arrow 108. This pump light can induce pump light in resonator 102 in the direction of arrow 110 by a coupling effect. When resonator 102 is stimulated, Stokes light in resonator 102 is generated by Raman scattering, which causes Stokes light leaving the upper end of waveguide 104 by the coupling effect.

Stimulated Raman scattering in micro ring resonator 102 is a two-photon process related to the optical phonons. The strongest Stokes peak arises from single first-order Raman-phonon (three-fold degenerate) at the Brillouin zone center. The coupling between the pump and Stokes lightwaves in SRS can be described by Maxwell's equations using nonlinear polarizations p⁽³⁾:

$\begin{matrix} {{{\nabla{\times \left( {\nabla{\times E_{s}}} \right)}} + {\frac{1}{c^{2}}\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial t^{2}}\left( {ɛ_{s}E_{s}} \right)}} = {{- \frac{1}{c^{2}}}\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial t^{2}}\left( P_{s}^{(3)} \right)}} & (1) \\ {{{\nabla{\times \left( {\nabla{\times E_{p}}} \right)}} + {\frac{1}{c^{2}}\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial t^{2}}\left( {ɛ_{p}E_{p}} \right)}} = {{- \frac{1}{c^{2}}}\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial t^{2}}\left( P_{p}^{(3)} \right)}} & (2) \end{matrix}$

The nonlinear polarization P_(s) ⁽³⁾ is cast as χ_(jkmn) ⁽³⁾E_(p)E*_(p)E_(s), where χ_(jkmn) ⁽³⁾ is the third-order fourth-rank Raman susceptibility, and can be calculated in terms of the Raman tensor R _(i). The E_(p) and the E_(s) are electric fields of the pump and Stokes waves respectively.

In micro ring resonator 102, it can be shown that the cavity SRS enhancement results from the intensity build up in the cavity, so that the threshold pump power depends on the quality factor Q and also the coupling efficiencies. The intensity build up factor for the cavity mode is: I _(c) /I ₀=(Qλ)/(π² nR)  (3) where I₀ is the intensity of the input light, I_(c) is the effective intensity of the light in the cavity, λ is the light wavelength, n is the refraction index of the micro ring resonator 102 host material, and R is the radius of the micro ring resonator 102. The effective interaction length is: L _(c)=(Qλ)/(2πn)  (4)

Both pump mode and Stokes mode can be WGMs with quality factors Q_(p) and Q_(s), respectively. The condition for Raman lasing is that the gain exceeds the losses: g_(R)ξI_(c,pump)>L_(c,Stokes) ⁻¹  (5)

Assume that the modal volume is V_(m≈)2πRA, the threshold pump power p_(th)=I₀A is:

$\begin{matrix} {P_{th} = {\frac{\pi^{2}n^{2}}{\xi\; g_{R}Q_{S}Q_{p}}\frac{V_{m}}{\lambda_{p}\lambda_{S}}}} & (6) \end{matrix}$ where the parameter ξ<1 describes the coupling to the pump mode and the overlap between the pump and Stokes modes, A is the effective cross-sectional area of the cavity mode, and g_(R) is the bulk Raman gain coefficient of silicon, which is about 70 cm/GW for Stokes radiation in the 1550-nm range.

Because the quality factors Q_(S) and Q_(p) of pump mode and Stokes mode are relatively high, threshold power P_(th) can be made very low. Therefore, by designing a highly confined micro ring resonator 102 that supports pump and Stokes modes, a microscopic low-threshold on-chip amplification and lasing device 100 can be fabricated.

The following describes the design of device 100 that supports one or more pump and Stokes modes. Device 100 can be designed by numerically solving Maxwell's equations (1) and (2) with a boundary condition corresponding to the geometry of device 100, using a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D FDTD) method. With a 3D FDTD method, a transmission spectrum of device 100, resonant wavelengths, WGM field profiles, and quality factor Q of the resonant wavelengths can all be calculated. This can be performed with any software that numerically solves the Maxwell's equations (1) and (2), such as the FullWAVE™ software provided by RSoft Design Group, Inc. (Ossining, N.Y.).

An important goal of the design is to determine iteratively (i.e., fine-tune) the geometry of device 100 so that WGM resonant frequencies of micro ring resonator 102 corresponds to one or more pairs of pump and Stokes frequencies. A pump frequency and a corresponding Stokes frequency are spaced apart by _(Δv)=15.6 THz, which is the optical phonon frequency in monolithic silicon. If a pair of WGM resonant frequencies are separated by 15.6 THz, a pump light having one of the pair of frequencies can be used to generate a Stokes light having the other frequency, and both the pump and the Stokes light can form WGMs in resonator 102.

If it is desirable that device 100 supports pump and Stokes lights with wavelengths close to a predetermined wavelength (e.g., 1550 nm), the geometry of device 100 can be determined iteratively so that wavelengths corresponding to the WGM resonant frequencies of resonator 102 are close to the predetermined wavelength (e.g., within the range of about 1400 nm to about 1600 nm). However, device 100 is not limited by the example provided; device 100 can also be designed to support pump and Stokes lights with wavelengths within other suitable ranges.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, a numerical design process can include determine iteratively the geometry of device 100 and calculating the corresponding transmission spectrum of waveguide 104 with, for example, a 3D FDTD method. The drops in the transmission spectrum correspond to WGM resonant frequencies of resonator 102. From the transmission spectrum, a pump wavelength λ_(p) can be chosen, such that λ_(p) corresponds to a drop in the transmission spectrum. Then, the Stokes wavelength can be calculated with λ_(S)=λ_(p)+λ_(p) ²/(c/Δv−λ_(p)). Stokes wavelength λ_(S)should also correspond to a drop in the transmission spectrum. Quality factors Q_(p) and Q_(S) can then be calculated with Q=λ/Δλ_(FWHM) from the transmission spectrum.

Determining iteratively the geometry of device 100 can include determining iteratively the radius R of resonator 102, the width w and the height t_(Si) of waveguide 104 and micro ring resonator 102, and the gap s between waveguide 104 and resonator 102, so that the transmission spectrum of waveguide 104 have certain desired properties. For example, width w and height t_(Si) can be changed it to shift the high Q resonant spectrum of device 100 to a range close to 1550 nm. A starting point for the iterative determination of width w and height t_(Si) can be values that support a quasi-TE single-mode waveguide 104. Radius R can be determined iteratively so that optical phonon frequency (15.6 THz) is an integer multiple of the free spectral range, which is the spacing between the neighboring WGM resonant frequencies of resonator 102 (the WGM resonant frequencies corresponds to drops in the transmission spectrum of the waveguide). Gap s can be determined iteratively to achieve a good electromagnetic coupling efficiency into and out of resonator 102 for different wavelength ranges.

As an example, device 100 can be designed with w equals to 350 nm, t_(Si) equals to 200 nm, s equals to 150 nm, and R equals to 4.9 μm. In this example, the cross-sectional dimension of waveguide 104 as represented by w and t_(Si) supports a quasi-TE single-mode. Height t_(oxide) of SiO₂ layer 106 can be 400 nm. The refraction index of silicon and SiO₂ can be n_(Si)=3.48 and n_(oxide)=1.46 respectively.

FIG. 2 illustrates the quasi-TE transmission spectrum near 1550 nm of waveguide 104 coupled with resonator 102 according to this example design. As shown, two pump lights (Pump 1 and Pump 2) can be selected from the transmission spectrum, with wavelengths λ_(p1)=1431.8 nm and λ_(S1)=1546.5 nm. Two corresponding Stokes lights (Stokes 1 and Stokes 2) have wavelengths λ_(p2)=1444.8 nm and λ_(S2)=1562.5 nm, which also correspond to drops of the transmission spectrum.

FIG. 3 illustrates the WGMs of Pump 1 inside micro ring resonator 102 of this example with continuous wave excitation. The white dots 302 in resonator 102 are the locations having stronger Hy field (magnetic field in the Y direction). It can be seen that Pump 1 forms WGMs in resonator 102. The WGMs of Pump 1 in resonator 102 are caused by Pump 1 in waveguide 104 traveling in the direction of arrow 108 (Z direction).

FIG. 4 illustrates the WGMs of Stokes 1 inside micro ring resonator 102 of this example with continuous wave excitation. The white dots 402 in resonator 102 are the locations having stronger Hy field (magnetic field in the Y direction). It can be seen that Stokes 1 forms WGMs in resonator 102 as well. The WGMs of Stokes 1 in resonator 102 are caused by Stokes 1 in waveguide 104 traveling in the direction of arrow 108 (Z direction).

Therefore, device 100, according to the example design, supports the WGMs of both Pump 1 and Stokes 1. By SRS and coupling, Pump 1 in waveguide 104 can induce WGMs of both Pump 1 and Stokes 1 in micro ring resonator 102, and hence Stokes 1 in waveguide 104. Similarly, device 100, according to the example design, supports the WGMs of both Pump 2 and Stokes 2. It should be noted that the example geometry of device 100 is not the only geometry that can support WGMs of the required pump and Stokes frequencies.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating various processes for manufacturing Raman amplification and lasing devices of various embodiments of the present invention. At 500, a suitable geometry of device 100 is determined. At 502, a layer of polymethylmethacrylate (“PMMA”) can be coated on top of a silicon-on-insulator (“SOI”) wafer. For example, a 200 nm thick 495 495K A6 PMMA can be spin-coated on top of a SOI wafer. At 504, a design pattern according to the determined geometry can be written on the PMMA layer by electron-beam lithography. At 506, the exposed PMMA layer can be developed in a solution. For example, a solution of methylbutylisoketone (“MIBK”) and isopropyl alcohol (“IPA”) with MIBK:IPA=1:3 can be used to develop the PMMA layer for about 55 seconds. At 508, a chrome mask can be transferred on top of the SOI wafer by thermal evaporation. At 510, the SOI wafer can be etched to form the designs in the wafer, using, for example, inductively coupled plasma (“ICP”) etching. At 512, the chrome mask can be removed. The wafer can be further packaged to seal the optical devices fabricated on the wafer. FIG. 6 is a top view of a fabricated Raman amplification and lasing device of various embodiments of the present invention captured by scanning electron microscopy (“SEM”).

Other embodiments, extensions, and modifications of the ideas presented above are comprehended and within the reach of one skilled in the art upon reviewing the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention in its various aspects should not be limited by the examples and embodiments presented above. The individual aspects of the present invention, and the entirety of the invention should be regarded so as to allow for modifications and future developments within the scope of the present disclosure. The present invention is limited only by the claims that follow. 

1. A method of manufacturing a lasing device, the method comprising: creating a silicon micro ring with a predetermined radius and a predetermined first cross-sectional dimension; creating a silicon waveguide with a predetermined second cross-sectional dimension; and disposing the silicon micro ring from the silicon waveguide at a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance, the predetermined radius, the predetermined first cross-sectional dimension, and the predetermined second cross-sectional dimension are determined so that at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring and at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein wavelengths corresponding to the at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency and the at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency are within a range of about 1400 nanometers to about 1600 nanometers.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: coating a layer of material onto a silicon-on-insulator wafer; writing a design pattern on the layer of material; developing the layer of material in a solution for a predetermined period of time; transferring a chrome mask onto the silicon-on-insulator wafer; etching the silicon-on-insulator wafer; and removing the chrome mask.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the layer of material comprises a layer of polymethylmethacrylate, and the solution comprises methylbutylisoketone and isopropyl alcohol.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein transferring a chrome mask comprises using thermal evaporation.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein writing a design pattern comprises using electron-beam lithography.
 7. The method of claim 3, wherein etching the silicon-on-insulator wafer comprises inductively coupled plasma etching.
 8. A method of manufacturing a lasing device comprising a silicon micro ring coupled with a silicon waveguide, the method comprising: determining a radius and a first cross-sectional dimension of the silicon micro ring, a second cross-sectional dimension of the silicon waveguide, and a distance between the silicon micro ring and the silicon waveguide, so that at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring and at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon; creating the silicon micro ring with the determined radius and the determined first cross-sectional dimension; creating the silicon waveguide with the determined second cross-sectional dimension; and disposing the silicon micro ring from the silicon waveguide at the determined distance.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining iteratively the distance, the radius, the first cross-sectional dimension, and the second cross-sectional dimension, so that a corresponding transmission spectrum of the waveguide has a first drop at a pump frequency and a second drop at a Stokes frequency, the pump frequency and the Stokes frequency differs by an optical phonon frequency of silicon.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmission spectrum is calculated by solving Maxwell's equations using a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein wavelengths corresponding to the at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency and the at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency are within a range of about 1400 nanometers to about 1600 nanometers.
 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: coating a layer of material onto a silicon-on-insulator wafer; writing a design pattern on the layer of material; developing the layer of material in a solution for a predetermined period of time; transferring a chrome mask onto the silicon-on-insulator wafer; etching the silicon-on-insulator wafer; and removing the chrome mask.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein writing a design pattern comprises using electron-beam lithography, and etching the silicon-on-insulator wafer comprises inductively coupled plasma etching.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the layer of material comprises a layer of polymethylmethacrylate, and the solution comprises methylbutylisoketone and isopropyl alcohol.
 15. A device for generating a laser beam, comprising: a silicon micro ring having a radius and a first cross-sectional dimension; and a silicon waveguide having a second cross-sectional dimension, the waveguide disposed at a distance from the micro ring, wherein the distance, the radius, the first cross-sectional dimension, and the second cross-sectional dimension are such that at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring and at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon.
 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first cross-sectional dimension is equal to the second cross-sectional dimension.
 17. The device of claim 15, wherein wavelengths corresponding to the at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency and the at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency are within a range of about 1400 nanometers to about 1600 nanometers.
 18. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one waveguide is a single-mode waveguide.
 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the at least one waveguide is a quasi-transverse electric single-mode waveguide.
 20. The device of claim 15, wherein a corresponding transmission spectrum of the waveguide has a plurality of drops with neighboring drops separated by a free spectral range, and an optical phonon frequency of monolithic silicon equals an integer multiplied by the free spectral range. 